Trolley-support for electric cars



(NOMode1.)

P. ROBINSON 8v P. W. J. LANDEB.

TROLLEY SUPPORT FOR ELECTRIC GARS.

PatentedApr. 7, 1891.

Fig.4.

I UNITED STATES I PATENT FFICAEQ FRANK ROBINSON AND PERCY WV. J. LANDER,OF BANGOR, MAINE.

TRQLLEY-SUP PORTFOR ELECTRIC CARS. v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,886, dated April'7, 1891.

Application filed January 12, 1891. Serial No. 377,421. (No model.)

2 To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that we, FRANK ROBINSON and PERCY W. J. LANDER, citizensof the United States, residing at Bangor, in the countyof Penobscot andState of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in theTrolley System for Electric Street-Oars; and we do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of our invention,that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in the trolley system for electricstreet-cars; and it consists of an automatic-operating trolleyarmconnector, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which- 2 Figure 1 represents a sideelevation, partly in section, of our invention, showing the trolley-armin working position and connection with the car-standard. Fig. 2 shows asimilar view of our device with the tension-spring re leased and thetrolley-arm resting in a horizontal position. Fig. 3 is a side elevationof our invention, partly in section, showing a portion of thetrolley-arm in an elevated position and the car-standard located betweenthe tension-spring and operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a similar View ofthe construction shown in Fig. 3, showing manner of setting 1hetension-spring with the trolley-arm. Fig. 5 represents aside elevationof the tensionrod of our invention, showing relative positravel; also,sudden ars and irregularities 1n tion of catch and trip-rod. Fig. 6shows a perspective view of catch and trip-rod attached. Fig. 7 is aperspective View of the tension-rod foot shown attached to a portion ofthe tension-rod.

Similar letters of reference refer to correspondingly-like partsthroughout the several figures.

A serious impediment to electric railroading, where the trolley systemis used, is the jumping of the trolley from the overhead-current wire.This is attended many times with great danger, and is caused by numerousimperfections-such as bends, imperfect hangerconnections, switches, ice,&c.upon the current-wire over which the trolley is obliged to the trackcause the same results. As the trolley extended from a long pole, calleda trolley-arm, which is hinged near its opposite end to a connector withthe top of the car, and, furthermore, has its remaining extremityattached to a spring of suflicient strength to raise and hold thetrolley against the current-Wire, the tension of the saidspring,together with a groove in the trolley, is all that prevents the latter.from disconnecting with the overhead Wire. Thus when the car istraveling at speed, and especially when running over irregularities inthe track and rounding curves, the jar occasioned by these suddenchanges is sufficient to cause a reaction of the tension-spring and aconsequent rebounding of the trolley from the said current-wire. WVhensuch instances occur, no notice whatever is given to the car-driver. Theconsequence is that before the momentum of the car can be checked thetrolley-arm, now projecting in a vertical direction and being quiterigidly held there, has come in contact with the suspending cross-wireswith sufficient force to either break the said arm, wrench it from itsfastenings, or tear down the cross-wires, so as to cause great danger bygrounding the current, disabling the car, and necessitating a trip tothe repair-shop.

It is therefore the object of our invention to prevent the possibilityof such dangerous accidents occurring by producing an improvedtrolley-arm operator and connector so constructed that it will, when thetrolley leaves the current-wire, automatically release thetension-spring and cause the trolley-arm to immediately drop by its ownweight into a horizontal position below possible interference with crosssuspending-wires.

Referring to the drawings,Arepresents the usual post or standard risingfrom a flanged base B, which is attached to the top of an electric car.Upon this standard A and connecting the trolley-arm thereto is ourinvention, consisting of a vertical tube or casting G, havingright-angular projections 70 and 10 extending from its ends. Throughthese projections or castings 7t and k are drilled transverse holes,through which the car-standard A passes, and is secured thereto by meansof collars c c, fastened in the usual manner by set-screws. The upperprojecting casting 7c of our device is formed with an arm h rising'therefrom, the extremity of which is provided each end of the same is arod I calleda ten;

sion-rod, the lower end of which is formed at a right angle or may beprovided with a right-angular projecting casting or foot f, rigidlyfastended thereto, the said foot beingprovided with means at itsextremity to counect the lower end of the usual tensioii-sprin'g Sthereto. Near the upper end of the tensionrod I is a small notch or ashoulder e into which the catch 25', hereinbefore described, eugages toprevent the said tehsion r'od fro'in being drawn farther upward throughthe tube G.

The trolley arm as usually constructed consists of a pole about twelvefeet in length providedwith the trolley F, attached to one end andfastened at its opposite end into a metal socket D, having a fan-shapedexten sion '17,. The socket D of the trolley-arm is hinged in the usualmanner to the extremity of the arm h of the u per castingk of ourdevice, and the fan-shaped extensioh nextends beyond and above thehinged connection, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4: of the drawings.Attached to and extending over the periphery of the fan-shaped extensionof the trolley-arm is a metal strap E, which as its remaining endconnected with the upper end of the tension-spring S, while the lowerend of said spring is attached to the end of the projecting foot f ofthe tension-rod I: The length of the tension-spring S should be suchthat when the tension-rod I is piish down suftlciently to be held by theenga e ment of the catch t above the shoulder strength to raise thetrolley-rod into a yer tical position. It can now be readily understoodthat the trolley-arm will be operated by the tension of the spring S inthe. usual man: ner; but in case the trolley F should leave thecurrent-wire by any means whatever, while the spring s'w0u1d anu-a11ythrew the trolley-arm into the air before the said am would reach avertical position, its opposite end would strike the end of the trip'rod l with sufficient force to disengage the c tch t from thetension-rod I, and the tension-spring S would thus be released and drawthe'tension-rod I upward. When this sudden reamtion was felt by thetrolley-arm, thelatter' would be checked in its upward flight andimmediately drop downward by its own weight, descending by the force ofgravity ona their usual working limit.

until it rested upon the now extending upper end of the tension-rod I ina horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Our devicecan now be reset from the car-platform by simply pulling down thetrolley end of the trolley-arm by means of theusual cord there attachedinto the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This movement willforce down the tension-rod I until the catch 73 again engages theshoulder e upon the same, and the forcing down of the tenslon rod mustnecessarily set the tension-spring S, for the latter is thereuntoattached. This construction leaves the tension-spring entirely free toexert all its energy upon the trolley-rod for the purpose of holding thetrolley againstthe current-wire, and no extra power is required to setthe device when tripped, for no extra spring are used neither are theystrained be- The catch tautomatically engages the notch or shoulder inthe tension-rod I by means of i a? sfnall spring attached in any goodand suf lficient manner.

In the drawings we have shown a flat spring'z' passing upward through ahole in the upper casting 7c and entering a notch in the said catch,thus limiting the distance of travel and preventingthe catchfrom beingdriven out of its fastenings and gu des. i The length of the trip-rodlcan readily be adjusted by using a threaded thimble Z and turning itupon the threaded end of the said red, as shown in Fig, 6 of thedrawlngs.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings we have shown our device constructed toadmit the carfstandar'd A between the tension-spring and operatingmechanism or tube G. This construction requires the tension-rod foot fto be cast somewhat longer and with a hole therein adapted to allow thestandard A to pass therethrough, and upon which it would islide. ,Byusing this construction a l1ttle longe'r fulcrum upon the trolley-arm isobtained and a consequent greater strain and i throw of thetension-sprin Having thus described our invention, what we claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent or the United States, isthereon thesaid spring will have sufficient 1.

1. An automatic-operating trolley-arm'connector consisting of a verticaltube, having projections at each end provided with means for' attachmentto the ordinary electric-car standard, the upper projections having anarm extending therefrom, with its extremity adapted to be hinged to atrolley-arm, a tension-rod extending through said vertical tube andhaving its lower end provided with means for connecting thetension-spring and the up- I per portion v of said tension-rod having anotch or small shoulder for the engagement of a confining catch, a catchadapted to engage the notch or shoulder in the tension-rod, and atrip-rod connected to said catch and extending in such manner thatcertain movements of the trolley-arm disengage said catch, sub- 5stantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth and described.

ing the trolley-arm in such manner that certain movements of the saidarm disengage the catch and release the tension-spring, for the purposedescribed, and to operate substan- 15 tially in the manner described.

FRANK ROBINSON. PERCY W. J. LANDER.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. BACON, JAMES H. KENNEDY.

